Lumber grade printer



Mam}! 1965 w. o. CUNNINGHAM, JR 3,175,485

LUMBER GRADE PRINTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1961 KI NVEIYTOR 1 March 30, 1965 w, o, CUNNINGHAM, JR 3,175,485

LUMBER GRADE PRINTER Filed May 24. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 new" 40 IIL'E'II March 30, 1965 w. o. CUNNINGHAM, JR 3,175,435

LUMBER GRADE PRINTER Filed May 24, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 10 a N N N 2| 3 N k i N Q m 3 i "1 JL DH N a g- \O N a a N m R IN V EN TOR.

Maw z MarCh 1965 w. o. CUNNINGHAM, JR 3,175,485

LUMBER GRADE PRINTER Filed May 24, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F 47. 7 F 8 2s as 32 g 20 United States Patent Ofiice 3,175,485 Patented Mar. 30, 1965 3,175,485 LUMBER GRADE PRINTER William 0. Cunningham, In, R0. Box 484, Banners Ferry, Idaho Filed May 24, 1961, Ser. No. 112,241 2 Claims. (Cl. 101-35) This invention relates to a novel lumber grade printer.

The present invention is concerned with a printing device for use in the marking and grading of lumber. Such a device is demanded by various standard grading procedures now utilized in the lumber industry. It is necessary in many cases that each individual piece of lumber be graded and marked for future reference. In most cases the marking is accomplished manually which involves considerable time and labor expense.

It is a first object of this invention to provide a lumber grade printer which is capable of use in conventional mill facilities and which can be easily controlled by a single person entrusted with the grading of the lumber being processed. The device is adapted to be centrally controlled and is easily manipulated by a single operator who may visually grade the lumber.

It is another object of this invention to provide a grade printer capable of selectively marking several dilerent grades on the lumber as it is being graded. The particular stamp selected for each piece of lumber is moved into the path of the passing lumber as selected by the grader.

It is another object of this invention to provide a grade printer using rotary printing drums which do not in any manner retard the flow of lumber along its conventional path. In this regard natural counterweights are used to reset the printing roll and no spring or hydraulic drag is encountered.

It is a final object of this invention to provide such a grade printer in a compact and self contained unit. This unit may be readily installed on either the grading or trimmer chains of a conventional mill. It may then be controlled by the trimmerman or chain grader. The selected grade is printed without distortion on the boards as they pass over the compact unit.

These objects and still others will be evident from a study of the following detailed disclosure which describes a preferred embodiment of this invention. It is to be understood at the offset that this embodiment is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit or restrict the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the grade printer;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevation taken from the left hand side of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the printer shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view of the printer shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along line 6-45 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view through a drum and housing assembly as seen along lines 77 in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional View taken along line 8-8 in FIGURE 5;

FIGURES 9, l and 11 are reduced diagrammatic views taken along line -5 in FIGURE 3, and showing the progressive passage of a single board across a drum in printing position.

It has been customary in the lumber industry to stamp boards with a symbol or mark identifying the processor or manufacturer. In recent years it has become mandatory in some cases to grade stamp each piece of lumber being processed according to specified standards of the industry.

This procedure often has necessitated the use of separate grading and printing step. In order to eliminate unnecessary labor and grading expenses the present invention was devised. It is intended to be mounted flush with the supporting table of a conventional grading chain or a trimmer saw apparatus. In either case, a conventional pressure plate is utilized to bear down on the upper surface of the lumber passing along the supporting chain. Since such chain devices are conventional in the industry, and since such pressure devices are also conventional, they will not be further described in the following detailed description. It is sufiicient for the purposes of this description that it be understood that lumber is to be passed across the unit in a transverse position. That is, the lumber is to be moved transversely to its length by the chains or other suitable conveying apparatus. It is also to be understood that the surface opposite to that lying along this unit is to be subjected to pressure so as to maintain it in contact with the abutting end of the unit. The particular means by which these two conditions are maintained are immaterial and Various equivalent mechanisms may be utilized.

The basic unit includes a rigid rectangular framework 10. The framework 10 is formed with a rectangular end configuration 11, formed of welded or otherwise secured angle irons. The end 11 includes a plane outer surface 11a which surrounds an open aperture 12. The end 11 is connected to a similar end frame 14 at the opposite portion of the framework 10. The frame 14 is also formed of suitably connected angle irons and is also provided with an open aperture. The adjustable tie rods 13, located adjacent the four corners of end frame 11 and 14, serve to complete an open rigid frame structure. Mounted along the frame 14 is an angular cross plate 15, used as a basic mounting element for the instant apparatus. The plate 15 is suitably fixed along one of the angle irons in frame 14.

The grade printer shown in the drawings is provided with four printing units, each of which is identical in the structural parts. The drum on each printing unit is provided with a printing die which varies, depending upon the grade being marked by that particular drum. Since each of the printing units is identical to the others, a single unit will be described in detail, it being understood that the numerical designations applied to one unit will also apply to each of the other units.

Spaced along the plate 15 are four mounting brackets 16 which serve as the basic support element for each printing unit. Each bracket 16 includes a collar 17 having an open aperture extending axially perpendicular to the plane of the end surface 11a. The surface of the bracket 16 opposite to that abutting plate 15 is provided with a solenoid mount 18 on which is fixed a conventional solenoid 19. The solenoid 19 includes a movable element 37 with an enlarged abutment 38 at its lower end, as seen in FIGURE 5. The upper end of the movable element 37 is provided with an outwardly extending projection 39, as may be seen in FIGURE 6. The relationship of this solenoid 19 to the printing unit will be described in the succeeding paragraph.

Each printing unit includes a drum support generally designated by the numeral 20. The drum support 20 includes parallel, vertical sides 21 and a front wall 22. The sides 21 and wall 22 are rigidly secured by the bottom wall 40. Extending downwardly from the bottom wall 49 is a square rod 44 which is slidably received within the collar 17. The rod 44 is free to reciprocate within the confines of the aperture formed by collar 17. Mounted at the upper end of the front wall 22 is a hinged partial cover 23. The cover 23 is joined to the drum support 20 by a spring hinge 47 which biases the cover 23 to the closed position illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6. The

support 20. The axle 27 is supported by eccentric bearings 28 which can be best seen structurally in FIGURE 8. The bearings 23 are mounted within aligned apertures cutthrough the sides 21 of the drum support 20.

'The eccentric bearing 28includes a fiange28a which abuts the outer surfaces of the support 20. The bearings 28 are provided with opposite apertures which rotatably receive the axle 27. The ends of the axle 27 are secured by nuts 29 which bear inwardly so as to fixedly position the eccentric bearings 28 relative to the sides 21. The purpose of the bearings 28. is to provide accurate positioning of the drum 24 relative to the framework 10. By utilizing individual bearings 28 at each side of the drum 24 the printing surface mounted on the drum 24 may be accurately positioned parallel to the end surface 11a of the framework ill Mounted on the huge 25 is a radially protruding lug 30. The lug 3% extends outwardly beyond the periphery of the flange 25. Adjacent the lug 30 is a raised die 31. The die 31'is mounted adjacent the side of lug St in the incoming path of lumber which is to pass across the end 11a. The spacing between lug 30 and die 31 is sufiic-ient to insure proper registration of die 31 with lumber as it pushes the lug 30. The normal position of the drum 24 is thatillustrated. in FIGURES 1 through 9. This position is maintained by means of acounterweight 32 which is formed integrally with the cylindrical body of drum 24. The counterweight 32 is formed opposite the position of lug 30 in a unit designed to be mounted along a table with the boards passing across the top of the framework 10. The exact balancing of counterweight 32 is obtained by means of apertures 33 drilled through the counterweight 32 so as to accurately determine the normal angular position of drum 24 about the axis of axle 27. The

positioning of the drum 24 is further insured by a pin 34 sures a constant and even supply of ink to the die 31.

The roller 35 adjacent the die 31 is mounted so as to abut the entire surface of the die 31-. This yieldable mounting is accomplished by use of loose bearing apertures 36 which enable the roller 35 to move toward and away from each other and toward and away from the die 31 when the die 31 is in engagement with the adjacent roller 35 The positioning of the closest roller 35 is such such that it will be above the die 31 when the drum 24 is in its normalposition illustrated in'FlGURES 1 through 9. Thus the die 31 is inked bythe roller 35 as it is being moved by abutment of lug 30 due to the passage of a board across the end surface 11a.

In order to connect the drum support 20 to the previously described solenoid 19, a spring mounting clip 43 is secured along the bottom edge of one of the sides 21. This mounting clip 43 is provided with an aperture adapted to be engaged by the projection 39 fixed to the movable solenoid element 37. The normal positioning of the clip 43 and projection'39 will be that shown in FIGURE 6 wherein the drum support 20 is moved with the movement of the solenoid element 37. The clip 43 may be released from engagement with projection 39 by means of an operating lever 41 which is slidably mounted by a guide bracket 42 fixed to the sides 21. Thus one may release any one of the drum supports 20 as a unit by simply pulling upwardly on the respective lever 41 and then pulling the entire support 24 free of the collar 17. This is provided so as to allow for easy maintenance of each printing unit. It also enables one to replace the individual units w-ithoutdisturbing the adjacent units for purposes of changing the dies 31 where various grade stamps are required.

The solenoids 19 are controlled by a suitable electrical apparatus (not shown). This apparatus utilizes conventional switches and switch controls and is not critical to the'mechanical features of the grade printer illustrated in the drawings. For purposes of illustration, the common control plug 47 is shown wired to each of the solenoids 19. The plug 47 provides separate circuits for each individual solenoid 19. It is intended that the solenoids 19 be individually operable so that only one drum 24 will be utilized for printing purposes as each board passes across the end surface 11a. a

The solenoids 19 are conventional in manufacture and are designed so that the normal position of the solenoid 19 will be that shown in FIGURE 5 wherein the lug 30 of drum 24 is recessed within the framework ltl below the end surface 11a. The boards to be printed are adapted to move transversely to their lengths across the end surface 11a which supports their bottom surfaces. The boards will be maintained in contact with the end surface 1111 by suitable pressure means exerted on their upper surfaces. The grader or trimmer man operating this lumber grade printer will visually inspect each board and select the proper drum 24 to print the grade on its bottom surface. His selectionwill actuate one of the solenoids 1? which will then move its element 37 to the upper position illustrated in FIGURESQ, l0 and 11. At this position the periphery of flange 25 will be approximately tangent to the plane end surface 11a. The incoming board 48 will thus strikethe lug 39 on drum 24. Further movementof the board 4-8 will cause the drum 24 to rotate about the axis of its axle 27. As this rota- 'tain a rolling contact with the bottom surface of board 48. Slippage between the board 48 and die 31 will be preventedby the frictional contact of the two surfaces The flange 25 on each drum 24 is provided with a flange area 25a adjacent the end of die 31 opposite to the lug 3t Thus as the board 48 continues across the plane end surface Il'la of framework 10, it will pull drum 24 to the position shown in FIGURE 11 and will then slide across the fiat area 25a. The area 25a prevents further motion of drum 24. When the board 48 has cleared the periphery of drum 24, the drum 24 will swing counterclockwise as seen in FIGURES'9 through 11 to its initial position illustrated in FIGURE 9. This return motion will be caused bythe unbalanced force created by counterweight 32. The drum 24 effects very little drag against the normal movement of the boards across the surface 11a. When returned to its initial position the drum 24 is ready to print an incoming board if the solenoid 19 remains actuated. Should a different grade of lumber be processed, the solenoid 19 for the earlier drum 24 would be released, and solenoid 19 for the selected drum 24 would be actuated by the person governing the grade controls.

The device as illustrated in the drawings is shown as it would be utilized for board passing across the upper end surface 11a of framework 1%. Thus the drums 24 are normally to be mountedbelow the boards being graded. It is possible that in some installations encountered, it would be advisable to print the boards on their top surfaces. Where such an arrangement is necessary the instant device can readily be adapted to these conditions. The framework It) would be fixed in a position reverse to that illustrated in the drawings. Thus the ends 11a will be the bottom surface of the framework 10. The solenoid element 37 would then be biased to the position illustrated in the drawings wherein the drums 24 are recessed within the framework It Actuation of solenoid 19 would move the drums 24 to a tangential position in the same manner as above described. When so oriented the counterweight 32 will obviously bring the drum 24 to the position opposite to that illustrated in the drawings. Thus the lug 3% must be shifted 180 degrees to the position illustrated by dashed lines in FIGURE 7, and designated as 30a. The die 31 also must be shifted to the position illustrated in dashed line in FIGURE 7, and designated as 30a. The die 31 also must be shifted to the lug 30 remains unchanged, that is, it lies adjacent the lug 3% on the incoming side of lumber passang across the surface 11a. In order to allow adjustment of the position of framework 10, the flange 25 is provided with a second flange area 25b which will abut the boards being inked by the die when in a position illustrated as 31a in FIGURE 7. This feature provides increased versatility to the grade printer since it will enable it to be adapted to almost any conventional mill procedure.

The above description illustrates a grade printer which is highly versatile and which can be readily installed along a grading chain or trimmtr apparatus. The die 31 may be very accurately positioned relative to the plane end surface 11a and therefore to the bottom or top surfaces of the boards being graded by adjustment of the eccentric bearings 28 and may be maintained in this position by securing the nuts 29. The ink roller 35 may be readily maintained by opening the hinged cover 23. The projection of lug 30 above the plane surface 11a insures its proper contact with the oncoming board and provides automatic timing of the following stamping procedure. It is important to note that it is the board itself which actuates and moves the die 31 so that slippage between the board and die is eliminated in its entirety. The printing drum 24 does not in any manner retard the normal motion of the board across the unit.

Various modifications may be evident to one skilled in this field after studying the above description. For instance, other conventional or equivalent methods of providing ink to the die 31 may be substituted in place of the two rollers 35. The type of impression made by the die 31 is immaterial to the instant invention which may be used for grading or marking purposes as desired. It is also possible that two drums 24 may be utilized at one time to make separate impressions on the board surfaces. In this regard one drum 24 might be utilized to provide an identifying mark while the other might be be utilized to provide a grade mark. Other mounting devices may also be substituted in place of that illustrated, although the illustrated device is extremely simple and provides a mounting unit for each independent drum support which allows instantaneous removal of the drum support without disturbing the adjacent units. The invention itself is not to be limited except as it is defined in the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A lumber grade printer comprising:

a rigid supporting framework having a plane surface across which lumber is passed, said surface including an open aperture formed therethrough;

a drum support slidably mounted within said framework for reciprocal movement in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said surface;

a stamping drum rotatably supported on said drum support about an axis parallel to the plane of said surface and perpendicular to the direction of travel of lumber passing over said surface, the portion of said drum adjacent said surface being exposed;

a lug fixed to said drum and extending radially outward from the periphery thereof;

printing means fixed to said drum at its periphery adjacent said lug, said printing means being located on the side of said lug adjacent the incoming lumber;

biasing means mounted on said drum adapted to normally maintain said drum with said lug in an angular position about said axis projecting toward said surface of the framework, said biasing means comprising a counterweight positioned on said drum opposite said lug adapted to maintain said lug in the path of incoming lumber passing across said end;

said drum further including a plane surface formed on its periphery adjacent said printing means on the side opposite to said lug;

and means operatively connected to said framework and said drum support adapted to selectively position said drum support at a first position wherein the periphery of said drum is tangential to the plane of said surface and a second position wherein the lug on said drum is recessed within said framework to thereby clear lumber passing across said surface.

2. A lumber grade printer comprising:

a rigid supporting framework having a plane surface across which lumber is passed, said surface including an open aperture formed therethrough;

a drum support slidably mounted within said framework for reciprocal movement in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said surface;

a stamping drum rotatably supported on said drum support about an axis parallel to the plane of said surface and perpendicular to the direction of travel of lumber passing over said surface, the portion of said drum adjacent said surface being exposed;

a lug fixed to said drum and extending radially outward from the periphery thereof;

printing means fixed to said drum at its periphery adjacent said lug, said printing means being located on the side of said lug adjacent the incoming lumber;

biasing means mounted on said drum adapted to normally maintain said drum with said lug in an angular position about said axis projecting toward said surface of the framework comprising a counterweight positioned on said drum opposite said lug adapted to maintain said lug in the path of incoming lumber passing across said end;

said drum further including a plane surface formed on its periphery adjacent said printing means on the side opposite to said lug;

axial mounting means on said drum support axially supporting said drum for rotation about its center, said axial mounting means including eccentric support elements on each side of said drum adapted to allow accurate adjustment of the drum axis relative to the plane of said end of the framework;

and means operatively connected to said framework and said drum support adapted to selectively position said drum support at a first position wherein the periphery of said drum is tangential to the plane of said surface and a second position wherein the lug on said drum is recessed within said framework to thereby clear lumber passing across said surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,491,732 4/ 24 Payzant 101-35 1,491,733 4/24 Payzant 10135 1,571,557 2/26 Paul 308-62 1,929,703 10/33 McDonough 10l35 1,977,460 10/34 Thompson 10l-36 2,746,380 5/56 Gottscho 101-35 2,905,081 9/59 Jackson 10l35 2,952,204 9/ 60 Sherman 10135 WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner. ROBERT E. PULFREY, Examiner. 

1. A LUMBER GRADE PRINTER COMPRISING: A RIGID SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK HAVING A PLANE SURFACE ACROSS WHICH LUMBER IS PASSED, SAID SURFACE INCLUDING AN OPEN APERTURE FORMED THERETHROUGH; A DRUM SUPPORT SLIDABLY MOVEMENT WITHIN SAID FRAMEWORK FOR RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF SAID SURFACE; A STAMPING DRUM ROTATABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID DRUM SUPPORT ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF SAID SURFACE AND PERPENDICULAR TO THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF LUMBER PASSING OVER SAID SURFACE, THE PORTION OF SAID DRUM ADJACENT SAID SURFACE BEING EXPOSED; A LUG FIXED TO SAID DRUM AND EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD FROM THE PERIPHERY THEREOF; PRINTING MEANS FIXED TO SAID DRUM AT ITS PERIPHERY ADJACENT SAID LUG, SAID PRINTING MEANS BEING LOCATED ON THE SIDE OF SAID LUG ADJACENT THE INCOMING LUMBER; BIASING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID DRUM ADAPTED TO NORMALLY MAINTAIN SAID DRUM WITH SIAD LUG IN AN ANGULAR POSITION ABOUT SAID AXIS PROJECTING TOWARD SAID SURFACE OF THE FRAMEWORK, SAID BIASING MEANS COMPRISING A COUNTERWEIGHT POSITIONED ONS AID DRUM OPPOSITE SAID LUG ADAPTED TO MAINTAIN SAID LUG IN THE PATH OF INCOMING LUMBER PASSING ACROSS SAID END; SAID DRUM FURTHER INCLUDING A PLANE SURFACE FORMED ON ITS PERIPHERY ADJACENT SAID PRINTING MEANS ON THE SIDE OPPOSITE TO SAID LUG; AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FRAMEWORK AND SAID DRUM SUPPORT ADAPTED TO SELECTIVELY POSITION SAID DRUM SUPPORT AT A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN THE PERIPHERY OF SAID DRUM IS TANGENTIAL TO THE PLANE OF SAID SURFACE AND A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN THE LUG ON SAID DRUM IS RECESSED WITHIN SAID FRAMEWORK TO THEREBY CLEAR LUMBER PASSING ACROSS SAID SURFACE. 